Pets aboard Florida plane presumed dead after crash into river

A charter plane carrying 143 people and traveling from Cuba to north Florida sits in a river at the end of a runway, Saturday in Jacksonville, Fla. (Gary McCullough/AP)

It was “a miracle” for the people, but the pets weren’t so lucky.

The animals aboard a plane that ended up in a Jacksonville, Fla., river after sliding off the runway are presumed dead in the aftermath of the crash, officials confirmed.

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All 143 people on the flight survived.

At least four animals were in the luggage compartment when the plane went into the St. Johns River on Friday night, U.S. Navy spokeswoman Kaylee LaRocque told the Daily News. The animals have not been recovered and are believed to have died. It is possible more pets were loaded before takeoff, but only four were on the flight manifest.

“We’re waiting for the plane to be moved before we can retrieve the pets and the luggage on board,” said LaRocque, who is based in Jacksonville. The luggage compartment of the plane was submerged.